Malaysia’s Proton is back in Singapore, unveiling a new showroom and its electric SUV

TANJONG MALIM, Malaysia – Malaysia’s national carmaker Proton is back in Singapore, revving up its re-entry on Sept 17 with the launch of its electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) which has taken Malaysia by storm.

On the same day at its new showroom in Leng Kee Road, eight customers will receive their e.Mas 7 SUVs from Proton’s Singapore distributor Vincar Group. The launch ends an 11-year absence – Proton exited the Republic in 2014 after its subsidiary sold its last four cars in Singapore.

The comeback is led by a new generation of electric vehicles (EVs) developed with Chinese automotive giant Geely, beginning with the mid-sized e.Mas 7, to be followed by the smaller e.Mas 5, expected here in 2026.

Exporting EVs to Singapore is central to Proton’s overseas expansion, said its chief executive officer (CEO) Li Chunrong.

“Singapore is a developed market and if we can get good performance in Singapore, I believe we can go to more countries,” said Dr Li on Sept 11 in his first media interview with Singapore journalists since taking over as Proton CEO in 2017.

“That is why we want to go back to Singapore again.”

The e.Mas 7 is Proton’s first EV since Geely acquired a 49.9 per cent stake in the company in 2017. The majority 50.1 per cent is held by Malaysian conglomerate DRB-Hicom, a listed company in Malaysia. Geely is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Proton had suffered losses from 2012 to 2016, but turned profitable in 2019 – two years after Dr Li’s appointment. He is the carmaker’s 11th CEO and the third foreigner to lead the company since its founding in 1983.

“I’m Chinese, but now I’m a half-Malaysian,” Dr Li quipped, referring to Proton’s shared ownership.

Proton International Corporation CEO Edmund Lim said the brand aims to be among the top three in the full-electric SUV segment.

Dr Li acknowledged competition from Chinese rival BYD when Proton returns to Singapore, but noted that the e.Mas 7 is Malaysia’s most popular EV, outselling BYD models.

He hopes to replicate this in Singapore by emphasising the car’s safety features, along with cross-border services.

The e.Mas 7 has been Malaysia’s best-selling EV since its December 2024 launch, with nearly 5,000 units delivered by July 2025, including exports to Nepal and Trinidad and Tobago. Singapore is its third overseas market, with Mauritius next in line later in 2025.

To boost its appeal to buyers, Vincar is expected to announce free servicing for up to 10 years and a tie-up that lets Singapore owners seek emergency assistance from 35 e.Mas dealers across Malaysia.

On Sept 4, Proton launched its first EV assembly plant at the Automotive High Technology Valley in Tanjong Malim, 80km north of Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the project reflected close collaboration between Malaysia and China.

The Malaysian government aims to position the country as a regional EV hub, with EVs and hybrids targeted to make up 20 per cent of new-car sales by 2030.

Although the e.Mas 7 has begun rolling off Proton’s Tanjong Malim line, Singapore-bound cars will continue to be produced at Geely’s plant in China, where the model has been manufactured since 2024. There are no plans yet to sell Malaysia-assembled units here.

Land Transport Authority records show about 4,000 Proton cars plying Singapore roads between 2011 and 2013, but their numbers dwindled to 311 as at December 2024.

While Proton’s Singapore return is led by EVs, hybrids could follow.

“It depends on Singapore’s policies,” said Proton’s export chief Edmund Lim, citing the country’s emissions-based rebate and penalty system.